Corps Asked To Explain Pump Contract

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Corps Asked To Explain Pump Contract

NEW ORLEANS, Apr. 30, 2007

(AP) When the Army Corps of Engineers solicited bids for drainage
pumps for New Orleans, it copied the specifications _ typos and
all _ from the catalog of the manufacturer that ultimately won
the $32 million contract, a review of documents by The Associated
Press found.

The pumps, supplied by Moving Water Industries Corp. of Deerfield
Beach, Fla., and installed at canals before the start of the 2006
hurricane season, proved to be defective, as the AP reported in
March. The matter is under investigation by the Government
Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.

In a letter dated April 13, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., called on
the Corps to look into how the politically connected company got
the post-Hurricane Katrina contract. MWI employed former Florida
Gov. Jeb Bush, President Bush's brother, to market its pumps during
the 1980s, and top MWI officials have been major contributors to
the Republican Party.

While it may not be a violation of federal regulations to adopt a
company's technical specifications, it is frowned on, especially
for large jobs like the MWI contract, because it could give the
impression the job was rigged for the benefit of a certain
company, contractors familiar with Corps practices say.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/30/ap/national/main2744063.shtml

[BOSSHOG]

1. I do appreciate the Corps Chutzpah!!

they said the pumps worked fine last year. THE PUMPS WEREN'T NEEDED LAST YEAR.

Imagine the republican party being involved in fixing contracts? Gosh love that integrity.

[phoebe]

2. great find - thanks for the info.

n/t

[uppityperson]

3. "it could give the impression the job was rigged " k&r

[Richard Steele]

4. Yeah, the truth will do that.....

...when the job was rigged.

[spinbaby]

8. Rigged?

In the Bush administration?

[Richard Steele]

11. Difficult to believe, I know.....

:rofl:

[maddezmom]

5. yes, we'd all like to know the answers

K&R

[DemReadingDU]

6. morning kick

[Judi Lynn]

7. Story needs a LOT of exposure. n/t

[tabasco]

9. Jesus Christ Almighty! How long must I see my Nation victimized by the republican mafia??

I am sick that our tax dollars are being drained to the already rich while the People suffer!!

ENOUGH!

[donsu]

10. kick

nt

[underpants]

12. Why am I not surprised

disgusting

[anotherdrew]

13. listen to last weeks LaShow by Harry Shearer, he talks to an old army corp engineer

the army corp of engineers has been turned into a pathetic joke. Lot's of so-called "management" and less Engineers. This is just so typical of what's happening to this country, we've let a entire class of good-for-nothing know-nothing monkey boys (republicans mostly) take over everything, driving out the people who actually know what they're doing. god help us if we can reverse this soon. We're on the verge of loosing (or have lost) all institutional memory, and even how to knowledge of basic engineering skills. Soon we will be a third world country.

link:

http://play.rbn.com/foo.ram?url=livecon/kcrw/g2demand/ls/ls070422le_Show_-_April_22_2.rm

[loudsue]

14. Once again, folks: THESE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS going to the RNC

It's just a revolving door between OUR TAXES and the REPERVLICON party coffers.

There is just too much of a "good thing" for the republicans going on with our taxes, ya know what I mean?

THIS is how good Democrats contribute to the republican party.

:kick::kick::kick: